The Tide Hammer

Episode 02

Strange Company

16

OCT/11

The heroes, after a few days of getting their sea legs, started their journey north to Kirkwall. Everyone on the ship, from the heroes to the refugees pitched in to guide the ship to her destination. Despite presenting a few mysteries as to its previous owners, the Tide Hammer served them well in their journey across the Waking Sea.

A few days in, the heroes found their first taste of the Darkspawn at sea – a dark island, silhouetted by an ominous red glow. The heroes’ Darkspawn sensing lantern flickered to life as they sailed past the island, hoping to escape notice. As if to spy on them, a flock of diseased crows from the island quickly descended upon the heroes and left after the Apostate Sun turned one of them into a living bomb.

With barely a day to rest, the heroes came upon a slave ship, on fire and taking on water with the victims still trapped on board. A quick battle to free them found the heroes with an even more disparate band of followers, including a Qunari, a Templar, a carpenter, a young woman and her brother Martis, an Apostate with terrible power. Despite warnings from the Templar, the heroes agreed to take all of them back to the Tide Hammer. Fif gained a loyal companion in the form of Lors, the Qunari whom he rescued.

With tensions rising from the appearance of Darkspawn as well as the dangerous combination of crewmembers on board, disaster struck the drunken helmsman made a pass at Martis’ sister, and the demon, which he barely controlled, was freed. A creature of rage and anger began to unleash destruction, destroying Gjorn outright while setting fire to the ship. The heroes scrambled – Fif putting out fires, while Stefan protected those crewmembers he could. Not wanting to outright kill a fellow Apostate, Sun opted to enter the Fade to try and purge the demon in a battle of wills. Although successful, the efforts were ultimately tragic when the demon fled Martis’ body and inhabited the boy, Merit. The heroes had no choice but to end his life before the demon could.

Down a few members, the heroes now sail into Kirkwall, not entirely sure where fate will take them.